Recruitment in pathology, diagnostics and laboratory

Almost every treatment decision starts with a diagnosis, and behind the diagnosis stand pathologists, biomedical laboratory scientists and laboratory specialists. At the same time, professional communities have long warned of shortages in exactly these groups. In Norway, the professional association NITO has repeatedly pointed to a shortage of biomedical laboratory scientists, and several hospitals have struggled to recruit pathologists for a long time.

For hospitals, private laboratories and diagnostics companies alike, this means recruitment has to be planned better and carried out more actively. Here we go through the roles, the formal requirements and how to reach the candidates.

The roles most in demand

• Pathologists – medical specialists in histopathology, cytology and molecular pathology.
• Biomedical laboratory scientists – in histology, cytology, immunohistochemistry, molecular methods and clinical chemistry.
• Molecular biologists and geneticists – sequencing, genetic analysis and precision diagnostics.
• Laboratory managers and technical leads – responsible for operations, quality and staff.
• Quality managers – with experience of accreditation and quality systems for medical laboratories.
• Application specialists – in diagnostics companies, responsible for training, installation and customer support at the laboratories.
• Digital pathology and bioinformatics – image analysis, data flow and software.

Three different candidate markets

Laboratory expertise is recruited in three closely linked markets:

• Public hospitals offer breadth, professional depth and research, but often a heavy workload.
• Private laboratories may offer different working hours, faster decisions and different terms.
• Diagnostics and medtech companies often recruit experienced laboratory scientists and molecular biologists into roles as application specialist, product specialist or sales.

Candidates move between these markets. To succeed, you need to understand what makes a laboratory scientist move – and what makes them stay.

Formal requirements: authorisation and specialist approval

Biomedical laboratory scientists (in Norwegian: bioingeniør) and doctors are authorised healthcare professionals in Norway. This means that:

• biomedical laboratory scientists need Norwegian authorisation to work as such in the health service
• pathologists need specialist approval to work as specialists
• candidates educated abroad must have their education approved by the Norwegian Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet)

Approval of foreign education can take time. If you recruit from other countries, start the process early and plan the start date accordingly.

Accreditation, quality and the IVDR

Medical laboratories often work to ISO 15189, and accreditation requires expertise in quality management, method validation and documentation. In addition, the IVDR has introduced requirements for tests developed and used in-house at health institutions. This has increased the need for people who understand both laboratory work and the regulations. Read more in our article on medtech recruitment and the MDR/IVDR.

Digital pathology and new skills

The shift to digital pathology and greater use of molecular methods is changing the skills laboratories need. They need people who master scanning and image analysis, integration with IT systems and the use of data tools in diagnostics. These profiles exist both in laboratories and in technology companies, and can often be recruited across industries.

How to reach the candidates

Many laboratory professionals are loyal to their community and rarely apply actively. At the same time, many are open to a change if it solves something they miss. In a survey carried out by NITO in 2024, 70 per cent of the hospital-based biomedical laboratory scientists who responded said they had considered leaving. Pay, workload and professional development were highlighted as important reasons.

That leads to some clear advice:

• Be specific about workload and staffing. Candidates want to know what the working day is really like.
• Show professional development. New methods, further education and research are important arguments.
• Be clear about terms. Pay and working hours must be clear early in the process.
• Search actively. The best candidates are reached through direct search, not adverts alone.
• Look to neighbouring countries. Candidates from Sweden and Denmark can be relevant, especially when the approval process is well planned.

How Oslo Life Sciences can help

Pathology and diagnostics is one of our core areas. Oslo Life Sciences recruits pathologists, biomedical laboratory scientists, cytology and molecular pathology expertise and laboratory leadership – for hospitals, private laboratories and diagnostics companies. We know the professional communities, understand the differences between the roles, and search in Norway, the Nordics and DACH. One adviser follows the assignment from start to finish.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get a foreign biomedical laboratory scientist approved in Norway?

It varies with the country and the education. Check the latest information from the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and allow for the approval affecting the start date.

What does an application specialist do?

An application specialist works for a supplier of diagnostic equipment and helps laboratories adopt instruments and methods through training, validation and support. The role often suits experienced biomedical laboratory scientists.

Do you recruit for both the public and private sector?

Yes. We recruit for hospitals, private laboratories and companies in diagnostics and medical devices.

Can a pathologist work partly digitally?

Digital pathology makes it possible to assess slides on screen and gives more flexibility. How much can be done remotely depends on the laboratory's systems and routines.